By Day's End
by C. M. Spinks
Summary: Equestria is in trouble.  Guess who the only pony who can save it is?   Twilight Sparkle.  Duh.  But she has to save her friends before she can save anypony else, and defeat Day's End, evil sibling of Celestia and Luna, who has caused every evil thus far.
1. Chapter 1

By Day's End

I'm tired. I've stayed up all night for the past four nights researching this secondary or perhaps tertiary prophecy. It speaks of the Elements of Harmony, which was what had originally gotten my attention. I groan. It's something odd about Luna and Discord only being minor signs of something bigger and much more dangerous. There are other events going on that correlate with what it says, but this book is so old I can barely make what is says. It takes me days to properly decipher it without a doubt that I'm really deciphering it _right_. Owlicious can't even help me. Spike tried, but, well, he couldn't focus on it for the length of time required. He only tried to show up Owlicious.

I've told the Princess, but she's been so busy that I'm fighting myself by not reminding her. The whole of Equestria is in shambles. Princess Luna had an accident when raising the moon that somehow caused any and all magic to go berserk. It doesn't just affect unicorns, however. Even pegasi have been finding it difficult to fly. And earth ponies' strength has disappeared, making them physically weak, as though they're all foals again, learning to walk. Luckily, that's been resolved for a while, most of their strength regained through hard work and perseverance, along with added difficulties.

To make matters worse, the spell that Princess Luna accidentally cast has made it nearly impossible for Princess Celestia to raise the sun. Her magic is no exception to Luna's spell. Neither is Luna's either. The moon has been dominant in the sky, and neither Luna nor Celestia have been able to fix it. It's been long nights and short days for about two months now. We all know she didn't mean it. Luna apologized a million times, and everyone understood, but her apologies don't help us fix this magical conundrum. It's been hard everywhere in Equestria. It's been hard in Ponyville.

Well, actually, we've just had difficulties with the weather because the pegasi can't keep it in check and in the dark more often than not. We ran out of candles a long time ago, and I can't use magic to make a light even for myself. All the ponies in Ponyville have asked at some point or another, but no matter what I try, there's nothing I can do to help. Any spell I try to cast turns into something dangerous. I shriek as a strong gale whips by the tree. It seems that when pegasi don't keep tabs on the weather, it just starts doing its own thing, like in the Everfree Forest. It's been so cold. It's been rainy. And stormy… And lonely….

I'm so tired. I rub my eyes. Spike and I have been researching our tails off but we can't find anything. And this weird book and it's silly prophecy has been giving me nightmares! I can never recall much, just bits and pieces from each that I collectively remember. I always remember an alicorn, definitely. I remember him as tall, just like both the Princesses. He is dark-coated and he has a flowing mane. I can't see the cutie mark. But it's definitively a stallion. I always remember him as being extremely and oddly attractive. He is alluring and compelling and I can't even say why.

It seems I can barely control my thoughts when I start thinking about him. I can't see much of him, but I WANT to know more. In the nightmare, he laughs and so far that's all I can remember, although I know there's more. I can feel it, and while I haven't any proof, I hope to solve that soon. And though there's nothing mentioning a stallion in the book, at least so far, I also know that he's somehow connected to all of this. I've spent so long on this book, I feel my body crack and shake as I try to stand. I want to see my friends, who are so impossibly far away from me. Right now, visiting anypony is a dangerous thought, but I have to know if my friends are alright. I haven't seen them in so long, I don't know if they're injured or if they're fine or if they're scared... If I can, I hope to bring them back with me. I've decided to chance it. As the extremely powerful Elements of Harmony and very best friends, I think we ought to be and deserve to be together, especially now in these strange times.

My first stop is Applejack. She's the farthest away and I want to get that trip over with. I stop for a moment. Is leaving Spike by himself a good idea? No, wait. Owlicious is here too. They'll be fine. And I'll be right back, with more ponies too.

The trip is hard and windy and wet, but it goes by quickly. Applejack has to wrestle the door open, but she opens it nonetheless. With her strength so depleted by that spell, I imagine it's difficult.

"Hi there, Twi! Why are ya out in this weather?" I love her accent. It's so out of place here in Ponyville but it's wonderful. "It's awful dangerous ya know." Her squinting eyes belay worry, but the smile on her face tells me she's really glad to see me.

"I came by to make sure you were alright, and maybe to collect the Elements for some brain-storming. If you don't mind leaving Big Mac, Apple Bloom, and Granny Smith, I'd like you to come with me." I have to yell over this awful storm. I'm sure Rarity is going to have a fit when she sees my hair wet and muddy and wind-strewn. "I don't know if we can come up with anything, but the magic of the Elements may be what we need to beat this curse."

"Ah don't suppose they'll be any safer whether Ah'm here or not. Ah'll come, just hold on while Ah grab my cloat. Ah also want to tell mah folk where Ah'm goin'." Applejack disappears inside for a moment, and I stand in the wind, wishing I'd brought my own coat.

She reappears and we start running. I tell Applejack that Fluttershy is next on the list I have compiled. Next is Pinkie Pie, then Dash at the center for pegasi and then Rarity; that'll make all six of us. While we were talking and distracted, we just got blown halfway to Fluttershy's house! I wish I could cast a spell so Apple Jack and I won't get separated, but who knows what effects my magic would have? We both yelp in pain as we get flung again. We're here. We were just knocked right into Fluttershy's front door by that last gale.

I can hear Fluttershy squeaking inside. I've worried for her the most. She can be strong when others need her, but when it's just her own self she needs to worry about, she crumples up. I've hoped she's been relatively okay, out here all on her own.

"Who's o-out th-there? Is it a l-little animal?" She peers out her window carefully. I'm guessing she heard us crash into her house. I can see from her face, she's scared out of her mind. I wave to her from the ground, doubting she could hear us. She sees us. I think she's coming to open the door. I don't know if she can. Apple Jack stands up and goes to help. I try to get off the ground now too. Somehow, with much struggling, we all manage to pry the door open, but before we can talk, a great wind sweeps us inside, slamming the door behind us.

"Twilight! Applejack! Are you all okay?" Fluttershy says from on top of me.

"Ah'm fine. How's about you, Twi?" Apple Jack is the first to stand.

"Yes. I'm good. And you, Fluttershy?" I say, even though the weight of the other ponies knocked the breath from me.

"I'm fine, but what in the world are you doing out in this weather? You could get hurt." She's not acting afraid anymore, just worried. She's also hiding behind her hair again.

"I'm rounding up the Elements. You're the second stop. Can you leave the animals?" I say, not wanting to waste time.

"Oh, they left a while ago. They have instincts and they had to follow them; even Angel had to go. It's just been me for a week or so now." She's receding further into her hair, like it's her fault.

"Well, then why didn't you come over before?" I nudge her leg with my own. "Any one of us would take you in, so you didn't have to be all alone."

"I was afraid I would get swept away forever. Those dark clouds scare me, Twilight." Oh no, she has tears in her eyes. What do I do? I don't know how to comfort her when she's like this.

"Why don't Ah take ya back ta Twi's tree and we'll wait for the others?" Applejack is a genius. Thank Celestia that somepony knows what they're doing.

"Alright, but will you be okay all by yourself out there, Twilight? It's awfully windy…" Fluttershy looks out the window again, probably thinking about the thunder and lightning too.

"Sure, I made it to Apple Jack's house just fine. You can make hot chocolate when you get to the library." So she nods and we pry the door open again and head our separate ways. Where did I say the next place was? Oh, yes! Pinkie Pie! This wind is making it hard to think… Wait. I stop for amoment, unsure of whether I'm actually viewing Pinkie Pie, or I'm hallucinating. No, it really is her. What's she doing out? Is she…. bouncing?

"Pinkie Pie! What are you doing?" She doesn't stop but does pause before jumping again.

"What's it look like? I'm bouncing! I'm trying to scare away the storm!" I can't believe she's serious. But she is. She always is. That's one of the best things about her, I guess. She's fearless and funny at all possible moments.

"Pinkie! I need you to come with me! We're assembling the Elements!" She stops when I say that.

"Okay Twilight!" She yells with a smile. Always with a smile.

"Do you know where the pegasi are being held?" I can't remember where it is in this rain. It's unusual. I feel so distracted in it, like it's blocking my very thought processes.

"Of course!" She screams and takes off. I don't see how she knows where she's going in this rain. But she guides us to the center without fail. Dash is in the far corner, trying desperately to get off the ground. Poor Dash. The whole past two months it's been this way. No matter how hard or fast or viciously she pumps her wings, she can't catch air. It's not so bad for Fluttershy, who doesn't fly much anyway. But Dash, whose life is nothing but flying, this is a handicap, a punishment, torture even. She's been so sad and angry. And with her friends so far away, I doubt she's been in a very good mood.

She sees us and immediately stops and puts on a cocky, arrogant grin.

"Hey guys! What are you doing here? Come to see me defy gravity once more?" She's acting like she's fine and she can fly again. We all know it's an act but it hurts too much to actually deny her the lie.

"Actually, Dash-" I only get the two words out before Pinkie…Well, Pinkie.

"Well I was out in the rain bouncing really hard to scare the storm away when Twilight comes up to me and asks what I'm doing and I said I'm bouncing trying to scare away the storm and she said well the Elements are gathering and then I said okay Twilight and stopped bouncing, I mean, it wasn't working anyway, and then Twilight asks where the center is and I said yeah I know and I zoomed right here with Twilight just behind me and now we see you and we're telling you this actually just me saying this because I stopped Twilight so I could rampage-speak-" I shove my hoof in her face to stop her. I shake my head at her, signaling that it isn't the time.

"Yeah, something like that." I say.

"Well, okay. I'll come, it beats hanging around with these other depressed pegasi." I won't look but I'm fairly certain she just got several unhappy looks. Her brutal speaking is something that will always get her into trouble.

"Then we're off to Rarity's. She's the last of us. Apple Jack and Fluttershy are already at my place, hopefully making hot chocolate."

"HOT CHOCOLATE! I LOVE HOT CHOCOLATE." Pinkie screams, leaping straight into the air. Her antics cause several surrounding pegasi to scream and fall over. She immediately says sorry, but I think she's really realized that it's not the time or the place to be doing her usual Pinkie Pie routine.

"When we get back to the library, Pinkie. We need to get Rarity." Dash said for me.

"Then what are we waiting for?" Pinkie dashed out into the storm almost immediately.

"C'mon, Dash, we can't let her get hurt." I say. She responds with, "Right on!"

We run out after her to find her still sprinting towards Rarity's boutique. A sudden gale knocks her over but she only turns and says, "C'mon you slow pokes!" We catch up and continue running. If it wasn't nearly hailing, this would be fun. Actually, despite that it's nearly hailing, this is fun! Running in the rain with my friends, with Pinkie in the lead, is amusing.

Except that, sadly, it seems that we come across the Boutique too quickly. Not taking into account the wet streets, we found ourselves unable to stop, and we slid right into Rarity's oversized door. But I can't stop laughing. That was fun, despite the collision.

"Hello, is anypony out there? I heard a crash!" Rarity calls from inside. Similarly to Fluttershy, she peeks out the window. "Oh, darlings, are you alright?" She immediately comes to the door, and amazingly opens it all by herself. "Darlings, are you hurt? Why ever are you out in this dreadful weather?" She starts helping us up and making sure we're uninjured.

"We're fine, and why does everypony ask that question? We're out here for you, actually. We're gathering the Elements. You're our last Element."

"Oh, well, we should get going, this sounds important. Let me just grab Opal and a coat. Step inside, and warm up a bit before we head out." She ushers us inside and heads off to her room. I will never not be amazed by the grace of her home and shop. The stunning beauty in its simplicity will always catch me off guard. My thoughts are interrupted by Rarity's shouting. "Opal, please, I can't very well leave you here!" There is a hiss. "Fine, if you refuse to come, I'll leave some food out for you and leave the door open. Be safe, you rascal!" Rarity walks out, looking upset. "Opal refuses to come with me. I've never seen her act like this. But I can't force her to come…I suppose we should be on our way." Rarity explains. She heads out the door, head a little low. I feel bad, like it's my fault.

"You know, maybe she just has a bad feeling. You know, Fluttershy told me that animals have special instincts. She might just think she needs to stay." I try to help her.

"Yeah! Gummy swam off not long ago cuz he didn't like the craaaaa-haaazy weather. It'll be fine, Rarity!" Pinkie Pie says, helping me out.

"I'm sure you're all right. Well then, let's get going!" Rarity seems to have her spirits up now. It must still be hard to leave her pet behind, but with the assurance that Opal knows what she's doing, she charges out the door, full of swagger. We all rush out the door after her, but we don't get very far.

Rainbow Dash just got swept into the sky.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"Oh no!" Pinkie is the first to yell. As soon as we ran out, a huge gale tore right through our group, mainly affecting Rainbow Dash, whose wings were open instinctively. She was swept into the storm itself, high in the sky. For the first time in two months, Dash's wings have caught air, but she's obviously not in control of the

"Everybody stay still! We need to catch Rainbow Dash!" I automatically react, relying on my inherent ability for magic. My horn starts tingling with my magic.

"But Twilight, Luna's spell!" Pinkie reminds me, but its too late, the spell is cast. I'm filled with terror for a moment, wondering disaster I've conjured, but there is only a quick blinding light. Nothing bad happens. Only the wings that I meant to make appeared on all our bodies. There are perfectly formed pegasi wings on all three of us, as I meant to happen.

"Twilight, the spell worked!" Rarity exclaims. "It worked!"

"We can't get distracted by that, Dash needs us!" I stretch my Pegasus wings and shoot up into the sky. I'm relying on instinct to fly , which probably isn't the best way to do this, but there's no time for formal instruction. Being a unicorn, the magic-flight problems that currently affect pegasi don't affect me. Likewise, Pinkie Pie and Rarity shouldn't be affected. I climb into the dark sky, searching frantically for Rainbow Dash. Rarity and Pinkie Pie are soon beside me, also searching.

I see Dash suddenly, and dive after her. She's flapping like a maniac, but it's not helping her. The wind is sending her wherever it wants, and she's unable to control anything. Normally, this storm wouldn't be a challenge for her, not at all, but I am not Dash and she is not at the top of her game at the moment. I shoot after her, fighting the powerful winds. For a second, we're both within reach of each other. I make a grab for her, but the winds separate us. I can see the shock in her eyes. She shoots straight back up into the sky and I am sent to my right. I lose my vision as I fall through a dark cloud.

But I fall out into open air occupied by lightning. It flashes before me, but when it ceases I see…The stallion from my dreams! He's actually here! I can't believe this! He's exactly like he was in my dreams, dark blue with spiky red and brown hair. His legs are wrapped in red ribbon, and his cutie mark looks like the dawn. His eyes are huge and blue like his coat. And he's an alicorn, for sure. Tall just like Celestia and Luna, but I was wrong about his flowing hair. It's short and spikey and weird. But he's every bit of that alluring nature I dreamed he was, that strange sense of being drawn to him. I stare, unblinking at this impossibility before me.

He laughs at me and pumps his wings once. I'm sent out of the cloud pocket, crashing through the body of it. The winds he just loosed also tear apart the clouds, clearing a wide space behind me. However, I lost sight of him as soon as that wave of air hit me. I look for Rainbow Dash, and find her plummeting to the ground, now that the storm winds aren't holding her up.

I dive to catch her, but Rarity and Pinkie beat me to it. I sigh in relief. Dash is fine now. I'm a little shaky after that weird moment, I mean, what just happened? I fly to the other mares, breathing heavily from that sudden excitement.

"How did you cast a spell to make wings, Twilight? I thought all the magic was messed up!" Dash asks me.

"I don't know exactly but we can figure it out at the library. This clear patch isn't going to last long."

"Right, Twilight! We should zoom right down to the tree, as fast as we can!" Pinkie Pie says. She doesn't wait for Rarity as she pulls Dash down with her, diving head first towards the library. All three of them go screaming downwards. I go after them, and pull Pinkie by the tail, slowing her. She huffs and flies more carefully. We land mostly smoothly, but I stumble, only because of that short but exhausting battle with the clouds. Dash is yelling at Pinkie about how you shouldn't dive head first towards the ground because you wouldn't be able to pull up in time. Rarity is clinging to the ground like she never wants to kiss air again.

"Okay girls, let's get inside before those clouds start raining again." The huge gap the alicorn made is quickly closing. I'm worried about what I saw, and if it meant anything.

"Alright, I think that's a wonderful idea." Rarity says. She hurries into the library. We all follow. Only I pause as I'm stepping in, looking behind me and up at the sky. Who was that alicorn and what was he doing in my dreams and in those clouds? "Twilight, come inside, dear. Celestia sent us all a message, I think you'll want to see this." Rarity calls from inside. I walk inside. The room is full with my brightly colored friends. Fluttershy and Apple Jack are handing out hot chocolate. Spike hands me mine. I hold it with my magic.

"How are you doing that, Twilight? I thought that Luna's spell wouldn't let unicorns do magic." He asks. Everypony turns my way.

"I.. I actually don't know. I'm just doing it. Just like how I did the spell for the wings, I guess. I shouldn't be able to but ….hmm. this defies the very spell itself." I look to my friends. Fluttershy and Apple Jack have noticed that instead of two of our six having wings, five now have them.

"Yeah, I was wonderin' why everypony has wings 'cept me. Did somethin' happen?" Apple Jack asks.

"Yeah we just got Rarity and we went outside but Dashie was picked up by a big old wind and Twilight was all, We have to save her and used magic but I said NO but it was too late and then we had wings and we flew up and caught Dashie but Twilight was missing except she was really just in a cloud and then all of a sudden there was the biggest wind EVER and all the other winds and clouds got pushed away and then we flew down here to get hot chocolate." Pinkie Pie rambles.

"Yes, that's quite what happened but Twilight, when will they, you know, disappear?" Rarity asks.

"I don't know. I just perfected the reinforced wings spell before Luna's accidental spell. I hadn't had a chance to test them; I didn't even know if they would work. It was just the first thing that came to my mind when I saw Dash spiraling up into those clouds. But, what's this about a letter from Celestia?"

"Spike coughed it up fore we got here, and it said there would be a second, which there was, but we couldn't open it unless all six of the Elements were here. And we are." Apple Jack explains.

"Yeah, this is what the first one says:

My dearest student,

I need you and your friends to come to Canterlot immediately for urgent business. When you have assembled, open the second scroll that I will be sending in just a moment. I await your arrival promptly.

Princess Celestia and Princess Luna

And then the second one came just after we'd finished reading this one." Spike reads off the letter, holding up the second one. "But maybe we should wait until you're all dry and warm to open it. From the sound of the first letter, I'm guessing this is our transportation."

"Our? Spike, are you coming with us?" I ask.

"Of course I am. You guys are my friends and I live in Equestria too. And, I was Rainbow Dash for five minutes. I was an honorary Element, you have to take me." Spike is digging for reasons, but I have to admit, leaving him here wouldn't be very responsible of me.

"Wait, you replaced me?" Dash says.

"It was during the Discord thing, and it didn't work." I say. "I was just trying to get it all over with." Dash doesn't respond, just huffs and sits back.

"Besides Dash, Spike could never really replace you, he doesn't even have wings!" Pinkie says, as if having wings makes a difference. She's really just trying to cheer up Dash.

"Yeah, it takes a lot to even mimic me, and no one can be as awesome as me!" That did brighten her spirits. "Let's do this thing!"

I take the second letter from Spike. We're as warm and dry as we'll get without use of magic, and I don't want to push it. "Everypony ready?" I ask, looking to all of my friends. They all have a face of determination. I set the scroll on the table and gently pull the red ribbon out of its dainty knot. It's difficult because I'm not using magic, just my hoof. But I manage to pull it apart. The scroll rolls open.

Nothing happens. I step back from the blank roll. I turn my head to the side, confused.

"What-" As soon as I speak the scroll erupts and white dazzling light leaps out at all of us in the room, even Owlicious sleeping in the corner on his post. Everypony screams but the sound is soon cut out as our environment changes. We're suddenly in the Canterlot palace, floating in mid-air as the details of the main room come into focus. We float for a moment, all wondering how exactly to get down. We get our answer quickly. Gravity. That's how we get down.

"Twilight! I didn't mean to drop you!" I hear Celestia's voice. I look up to see her standing over me, staring at me with wide eyes.

"What happened?" I ask as I sit up and rub my head. All of the others do the same.

"The design of the spell was when you open your scroll, a similar one that I have opens simultaneously, and I can reach through and transport you here. A simple portal spell, but one that takes great patience. I meant to set you down, but it seems my magic is even lower and weaker than I thought." She explains.

"What's so urgent that ya had ta portal us here?" Apple Jack asks.

"Besides Luna's spell, it seems we have a new enemy. I never received your letter about that book you found, Twilight, until only a few hours ago. I know that Spike sent it through the fire, but it didn't arrive instantaneously like it normally would." Celestia looks at me grimly.

"So that's why you didn't respond! I thought you were too busy!" I exclaim, interrupting her explanation.

"I was busy, but I know how valuable your letters are, Twilight. You and your friends are very special ponies, and your input means much to me and my sister. When I read the letter, I read it out loud so that Luna could know as well. She had a.. reaction to it. Your mention of the stallion in your dreams and his strange connection you think he has to the book set her off. It made her remember something about why and how she became Nightmare Moon. It was then that I sent you the letter and the tele-scroll.

It has been a plan by somepony to cause an imbalance in power in the world, Nightmare Moon and even Discord's release were part of this plan. When Luna became Nightmare Moon, she was accidentally given access to the whole of this plan, but she couldn't remember it until she heard your letter, Twilight. It made her remember, in a similar manner of post-traumatic stress disorder. Luna tried to explain it to me. The plan is unfolding, because it has finally succeeded. Luna, not being fully recovered from her time as Nightmare Moon, does not have the capacity to cast the spell that has sent Equestria into darkness as it has been. And the pony who did all this is-" Celestia is speaking in a rush but a new voice interrupts her before she could say the name.

"Right here, dearest sister. I am right here." Everypony turns to see…no way! It's the alicorn from the clouds and my dreams! Wait… Did he say 'sister'? I jump to my hooves to face him. I have a few questions for him.

"How did you get in here?" Dash asks immediately.

"Oh, please. It's so easy to become invisible. Now, down to business. Celestia, bring Luna here. She must be here so I may pass judgment on the both of you." Anger is apparent in his eyes, but his face is calm and collected.

"Day's End, you don't have to be angry. What I asked was perfectly reasonable!" Celestia looks…scared, and strangely sad.

"No, it was not. You might as well have banished me. So I came up with a plan. Now, Celestia, _bring Luna here_." He uses a strange voice and Celestia trembles for a moment before she turns and flies down the hall.

"While we wait, let me introduce myself. I am Day's End, alicorn of the dusk and the dawn, the time between the day and the night. I am the gray to Celestia's and Luna's black and white. I am their younger brother, born after they became the Sun and the Moon. You, six ponies, are the Elements of Harmony, the spirits of friendship itself. Laughter, Loyalty, Honesty, Kindness, and Generosity." He calls us out as he walks through us, pointing us out. But he turns around. "And Magic. You six are most prized and beloved of my sisters, especially you, Magic. Celestia loves you as her child. I am here to make right the wrongs they have committed against me and the peace of Equestria, and to punish them with interest. Since you are so beloved by my sisters, I must make you suffer to make them suffer. Because you are so _special_ to her, Magic, I shall make you hurt the most." His horn glows and my friends are picked up in bubble-shaped magic, then disappear.

"NO!" I yell, but they're gone. Before I have a chance to think of anything to do, before I can yell goodbye, or assure them that I'll find them, whatever he's done, they're gone.

"Day's End! What have you done?" Celestia has just entered the room again, with Luna on her back, somewhat conscious.

"I'm going to lock you away to see the punishment I'm about to cast on your most dearest student." He sneers the pet name Celestia has for me. Celestia's eyes widen and then become very thin, narrow eyes that are not the eyes of my princess. She set's Luna down, steps forward until she's in front of me, standing between Day's End and I.

"By the power of the Sun, my own heart and soul, _you will not touch her_!" Celestia rears up, wild and elegant, her eyes become white orbs radiating sunlight, pure power and energy and heat enveloping her. Now she has a strange voice, like her own is overlapped by others. It is the same as the voice Day's End used on Celestia herself just moments ago.

"You forget, Celestia, that I am of the sun and the moon, a mix of you and Luna. The power of the Sun cannot stop the power of the dusk and the dawn without destroying the Moon. If you destroy the night you can be rid of me, but it means sacrificing our dearest sister."

Celestia pauses, still reared on her hind legs, and looks back at Luna. She speaks. "Sister, if you must to defeat him, I accept death." Luna says, lying on the floor. She sounds weak.

Celestia looks close to tears. I don't know what she's going to choose. I feel like this is some drama that I'm watching, not a real-life event.

"_No. I will not destroy my sister to destroy my brother!_" Celestia says, then charges at Day's End. I've never seen a unicorn duel, let alone an alicorn duel. I shrink down, preparing for their impact.

"Then you will never win!" Day's End side-steps out of Celestia's way, and beats his wings, taking to the air. Celestia does so as well, seemingly attempting to spear him with her horn. The Great Princess of the Sun is enraged, so unlike herself, but so much has happened that I suppose even she has reached a limit. Day's End tried to make her choose between me and her sister. Nopony should ever have to make a decision like that, and I'm glad Celestia didn't.

"_As long as I am breathing, I will try!_" Celestia is the first to bring magic to this fight, shooting a beam of light at the younger alicorn. He dodges it easily, but the light beam hits the castle instead, leaving a huge piece missing from the marble column. Now both of them are attempting to hit each other with strong beams of energy, which shouldn't even be possible with the spell in place, and the castle is starting to crumble. Luna can't seem to stand on her own, so I fly over to her while dodging falling pieces of castle. I'm glad I never removed the wings, because they're coming in handy now.

"Can you stand, Princess? We have to get out, this place is dangerous!"

"I have too much energy, Twilight, I'm overloaded by it." She manages to get out. She's strained, that much I can see, but I don't understand how too much magic could do this. But I can't think about that right now, I need to get us out and I don't think I can carry her.

"Well, what's the easiest way to get rid of it? We have to get out." I repeat.

"I can…I can give some to you!" With my face close to hers, it doesn't take much for her horn to reach mine. I feel a rush coming into me. If I were a basket, I'd be a big basket and Luna's energy just filled me to the brim. "There, I have given you enough that I may move again." She stands and starts to pump her wings and becomes air-borne. I start to follow her, because she knows her way around the castle much better than me. Through the decorative windows, I can see that Celestia and Day's End have taken the fight outside, but the castle is so badly wounded that it can't hold itself up. I can see it collapsing entirely around us. I make an instant decision, and grab Luna, smashing us through a window before the ceiling comes down on top of us. I may not be an expert flyer like Dash, but I think that would have earned awesome-points in her book. I smile even as I see the ground rushing to meet us, glass raining down with us.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

We hit the ground hard, but I ignore my physical pain. I'm worried about Celestia. Looking around I can see that she's still dueling, although she is far up in the sky. I can't see what's going on. I prepare to fly up there, to help Celestia however I can, but Luna stops me first.

"Twilight, don't interfere! They are gods and you would be crushed if you were to go up there!" Luna can see my anxiety. But looking at her, I can see that she won't stop me, because she can't. Her wings are splintered with glass, worse than mine are. She must have used them to shield herself.

"I'm sorry Princess, but Celestia might need me." I bend my legs and push myself high in the sky, rising to meet the duel. I'm using the energy Luna gave me to speed up even more. I hear Luna yelling for me to come back but I can't. My Princess needs me. I can see them battling like wild beasts, both of their eyes unpony and unnatural. I don't know what's going to happen if they don't stop right now. I'm flying as fast as my wings will go. Day's End turns for a moment… and sees me. He breaks away from the fight and dives towards me. He's about to cast a spell my way and I'm unprepared. What do I do?

"You'll learn to interfere with gods' business!" he says. I begin to cast a spell of my own, but I doubt it will do much damage. I try to slow my ascent, but it's too late. The math checks out; I'm done for. I close my eyes as I release my small spell, a spark of light that was going to be a shield. I hear wings flutter. I feel heat. But I don't feel pain. Was it…that quick? I open my eyes to see Celestia bearing the attack instead of me. She's trapped in a circle of blue and green light.

"I said that you would not harm her."

"You're a fool. I can trap you in the Sun now, where you will only be able to move yourself and observe."

"Yes, and I accepted this. You would have killed my student."

"You are a fool. I knew you would rather doom yourself than see your precious little ponies suffer, _especially _this one. If your student means so much, I will give you a moment to speak with her before I lock you away." He turns to fly away, but stops. "You didn't do nearly as much for me."

"_You will not take my sister away!_" Luna now has the many-voice and she's flying at Day's End. She's healed herself completely. Day's End easily captures her as well, in a lesser circle of light.

"You are weak despite the imbalance of power within you, Luna. Your attempt was pathetic, although admirable. I will give the three of you a moment." Day's End flies not far away, giving us a chance to speak. I'm stiff in the air, I haven't been able to move this whole time. I feel weak and ashamed and-

"Twilight, do not feel ashamed. You did what you thought was right." Celestia says to me.

"I failed. He's going to lock you away and destroy Equestria!" I'm starting to cry. This isn't a late letter. This is a big mistake. The biggest mistake anypony has ever made. The last mistake anypony will ever make.

"Twilight, it is we who have failed. Listen to us. What my sister says is true, and yet what you say is true. But you are not being locked away. You have a chance to stop him, or at least save ponies' lives. With us gone, you must save Equestria." Luna says. I try to wipe away my tears, to no avail. I can't do this. "You are a source of strength for everypony you know, you _can_ bring balance back to this world. I am confident you will succeed where we have failed."

"But I'm nowhere near as powerful as you two. I'm just a little unicorn; how can I possibly defeat him?" I say, feeling horribly afraid and tiny.

"You can defeat him. True that he is a god and you are not, but you are not just a unicorn. You are my student and protégé; you are the hope of Equestria and one of the best ponies I have ever met." Celestia says this with pride and conviction and I know she's not lying.

"You alongside your friends and fellow Elements have the power to do anything." Luna says, encouraging me. They both look like they have more to say, but Day's End flies back to us.

"You have had enough time. Say your farewells."

"Twilight, be strong and brave and pure. But always remember to be yourself." Celestia says.

"Believe in yourself and your heart, and you will succeed. Fare thee well, young Twilight." Luna says in accompaniment.

"Good bye, sisters." He raises his head to the sky and his horn glows. Celestia and Luna disappear entirely. I didn't get to say good bye. "And now, Magic, I will play a game with you. I am … how does the phrase go? Oh, I am giving you a chance. Playing fair, I suppose." I notice that he's been speaking normally again, in one voice.

"What kind of game? Why should I believe you?" I ask, getting angry as the sadness fades away.

"Because I say you should. You cannot defy me."

"Oh yes I can! You might be an alicorn, but you can't take away my will!"

"Oh, but I can. _To the ground, pony_." Like he did with Celestia, he uses the many-voice and I find I really can't fight it. Celestia is really strong to have withstood it for even a few seconds. It's like a tidal wave the size of Equestria itself bearing down on me. The current is so strong that movement is futile. My wings take me to the ground and I stumble when I land. If his voice is so strong, I can't imagine how magically powerful he is.

"Now, will you listen while I explain the rules of my game?" I can only nod. That was physically exhausting and mentally painful. "Hurrah. Now, the object of this game is to win. One of us will win by defeating, not necessarily killing the other. The first part will focus on you and the recovery of the Elements of Harmony. I have stationed your friends throughout Equestria, and you must find them. I will be torturing them while they wait for you, in various ways, not all of them physical. After you have saved one, if you can, I will make it worse for those remaining to be saved.

Likewise, it will get harder to save the other ponies once you have saved one. And the same after the second, and the third, and so on. There is no time limit, you can take as long as you want, I won't be killing them, and I won't let them die 'accidentally'. After you have gathered the other five Elements, you must find me. However, you may only do so once all of you are alicorns, like you are now, but truer, proper alicorns like my sisters and i. I will keep your dragon friend and owl as my scribes. They will be given the ability to see what you and your friends are doing and will write what they see down. I will not send things after you to chase you down, no no, this all hinges on what you do." He pauses, looking down at me. "I have let your magic work properly, because you'd had to save Loyalty, but I will take away the wings you and your friends have by magic and make your magic hard for you like everyone else. If you wish to defeat me, you'll have to find a way to work magic even around the spell. I will take you to your home in the tree so you may prepare." I don't object as he teleports us to the tree. I'm still dizzy. These rules are simple, but they imply a lot. I'm not sure how I'm to go about this, but I'll strategize once he's left. He's giving me a chance to save my friends, and I'm going to take it.

"Now, Magic, I wish you a good game. I'll be seeing you around." As soon as I find myself in my library, he disappears as he teleports himself away. Simultaneously, my magical wings disappear. I stand when I'm alone.

It's time to plan. I can go about this situation two separate ways. I can go based off how strong I presume my friends to be, or I can think militarily, based off who I think can help me the most first. If I go the first way, I'll be saving Fluttershy first, because if I chose anyone over her, I'm not sure how she would handle the second stage of Day's End's 'torture', whatever that might be. If I go the second way, I'll be saving Apple Jack or Rainbow Dash first, because I know they're both smart and strong and can help me the most right away. But I can't leave Fluttershy to be third place or worse... she's fragile both mentally and physically. Not always so, but this isn't a case I can imagine her surprising me in. So I know who I'm searching for first.

The next thing to focus on would be supplies. I have plenty of food stored in my tree, but I can't take the tree with me. I could set up a portal-like spell, where I can summon food from the tree to wherever I am. But I don't know what to do about Luna's spell, because the portal I want could turn into something dangerous. Like a portal to the bottom of a lake. Yeah, I don't need that. Without Day's End's allowance, I'm magically crippled. I'll just have to pack a saddle-bag and go from there. I don't normally eat much, so whatever I take will last a long time. And I have the energy Luna gave me to sustain me as well.

Thinking of which, I think my magic is starting to convert Luna's energy into my energy. I imagine hers is blue and mine is purple, and the purple is growing bigger, eating the blue and changing it. It's weird but I suppose it's natural. In an odd cannibalistic way. I'll have to find a better way to explain it sometime. This sounds a lot like Starswirl the Bearded's principle's on magic development and his basic laws of magic function. I'll have to track down those writings sometime.

Now that I'm ready to go mentally, where am I going? I don't know where any of my friends are. I look around, trying to brainstorm. At this point, Pinkie Pie would probably point out something obvious and amaze me. I should look at a map, maybe I'll get some ideas. I left my most current one on my desk upstairs. I walk up the stairs to the desk but my legs are killing me. I landed awkwardly when Day's End used the many-voice on me. I groan as I fight gravity to get up the stair case. I finally make it to my map and sigh again. Wait, this isn't my map. I don't write on mine. Looking at the map, there are five places circled, all of them ruins. At least, I presume the last one is a ruin, because there's nothing there. Just a circled space and Rainbow Dash's name. All of my friends' names are assigned to a ruin. Fluttershy is at Westwatch Ruins, an island in the middle of islands surrounded by rivers. This is a strategic place to have Fluttershy, considering she can't fly at the moment, but even when she can fly she only has so much stamina, and she would never be able to cross even one river. Which makes my job harder. Oh, Rarity is at the Old Palace, not far from here. Fluttershy is farther, but… I still think I should rescue her first. But it doesn't make sense to leave Rarity behind, save Fluttershy, turn around to get Rarity, and then turn around again to get Pinkie Pie, who's even further away from Fluttershy.

And it will be easier to rescue Fluttershy with Rarity's help. And I don't even need to carry my supplies there, because we can make a quick trip back here. My heart is shaky, because I know Fluttershy needs me the most, but if I'm going to save Equestria, I'm going to do it the quickest I can. Logic wins this round. I'm going for Rarity first.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

I head for the forest, and to a further extent, the castle. I gallop full out, thinking about how to counteract the spell Luna cast that's got me weighed down like it has. I've tried several things, or I had been trying several things in the beginning. After the first few dangerous spells I'd cast, I didn't want to see another failure and potential threat to everypony's lives. The idea I'd had with the most potential was the one dedicating a second spell to every actual spell. It would require I set aside a small, or large, amount of magic to momentarily push away or divert the attention of Luna's spell, so that I would be able to cast the real spell. I never tried that idea, because the other ideas I'd had didn't work out, such as my attempt to bully my way through the curse. All that happened was my horn nearly exploded with the backlash.

Am I willing to risk dangerous outcomes for this? Day's End said that I would need magic, or rather implied it with his 'you need to become alicorns' thing. How are we supposed to become alicorns, true ones? I've never heard of such a thing, and I somehow doubt it's even possible. I decide to stop and test the spell idea. I don't need to try it out when the stakes are higher, no, that would be bad and irresponsible of me.

I look at a leaf. Can I pluck it with my levitation spell, the most basic unicorn skill? I concentrate, dual casting the spells in unison. I feel the first take effect, making my magic work as it once did for my second spell. The leaf glows with my magic, and I pluck it from its branch. I stare in amazement. I almost can't believe that the solution has been in the back of my mind this whole time. Everypony had agreed that it was in our best interest to give up, but thinking about how we did just quit, I feel kind of silly. I know we were producing dangerous spells, but we literally just quit after a few tries because of all the damage they'd done. All the unicorns in Ponyville agreed it was not worth it, and that we should leave it be, but the shorthand answer was so close. I wish I had time to explain to the ponies of Ponyville, that they might tell the other unicorns of Equestria.

I almost wish Celestia hadn't decreed magic unsafe to use, or other unicorns may well have discovered this shortcut by now. I'm not the only capable magic-user in Equestria, after all. Then again, they may well have continued on, randomly summoning monsters or setting things on fire or rewiring gravity.. yeah, I suppose it was best of Celestia and Luna to set magic off limits until things could be sorted out. Thinking of Celestia, I miss her already. She and Luna have done their best for us, all this time, and here they've been locked away in their orbs. What will we do without our leaders? What will I do without my teacher? Day's End said she thought of me as more than her student, as if I were her daughter, he said. Could that be true? I have always looked up to her, almost like a second mother figure, but I never would have imagined she reciprocated. And now we may never speak again.

I shake my head. I need to move on. It's already been long enough that I've been standing here. I don't need to waste time, and my friends' health. I return to the steady gallop I'd started earlier, feeling more prepared to save Rarity, at all costs. Well, maybe not all costs. That would be stupid of me, to charge in willing to give anything and everything, and without a proper plan too. I'll go to great lengths for my friends, but I need to be smart about this, because unfortunately more ponies than just my friends are at stake here. The whole of Equestria is depending on us, as the most informed and likely most powerful ponies in it's entirety. Now that Day's End is in charge, I don't know what changes he'll make to our country, whether through the government or magic or something else. I do know he needs to be stopped. I should also find out the whole story of what happened, although I can't imagine a friendly chat about it with Day's End himself is anywhere in my near future. I roll my eyes as I pant and run. I'm beginning to struggle with this pace. If I remember correctly, the castle is just up ahead, past a few more lengths of trees, and across the bridge. I come to a halt. The bridge is gone, but there is no longer a gap for me to cross. Really, the old castle isn't even there anymore.

The whole ravine has been filled in with white marble, and the old castle replaced by a newer and smaller one made with the same shining white marble. There is only one door, no windows. I carefully trot to the edge of the newly laid white earth. After my capture in the Crystal Empire, I don't want to be hasty. I step, with one hoof, lightly onto the stone, and when nothing happens, I take another slow and measured step. When again nothing happens, I step completely onto the stone. I sigh and continue forward, still slowly but with a silent determination. I make it across the flat white space, and step onto firm grass and dirt again. I walk forward, approaching the door. How should I go about this?

I look at the door. I can only see the marble, no pattern or decoration, nor any kind of trap can I see. The door itself is flat and large, as I would expect of a castle, although the castle is only about the size of my tree. Is Rarity really in here? Mmm. I should decide what to do quickly. My friend isn't so far away from me now, and I'm just standing here. I shakily put forth my hoof, and push open the door. It opens with little resistance.

I am greeted with stairs, a big staircase going down into the floor. I hate stairs, especially after the Crystal Empire. I grunt and start my way down to Rarity. I keep my ear perked for any sounds of suspicion. I can't hear anything right now, but that doesn't mean I won't later. It is rather calm in this castle, though. The air is strangely relaxing, and I can't help but notice how well lit it is down here. Also how warm it is. I reach the bottom quickly, to my joy, and am faced with another door. I lightly put my ear next to it, and I can indeed hear soft but pained breathing. I pull away, worried suddenly, and pull open the door hastily.

Rarity is tied down to a table, stomach down. Her mane and tail have been cut away at wildly. There are cuts on her back and face, like tiny whip marks. How could he have done this in an hour?!

"Rarity!" I can't stop myself from exclaiming and jumping forward.

"T-twilight? Oh thank Celestia you're here, I've been here for days. I mean literal days' worth of time. He was just awful too." She says weakly. There are strange lines across her eyes, like tiny perfect whip marks on the center of her eyelids.

"I'm going to get you out, don't worry." I say, and begin to paw at the straps with my hooves. Strong ropes are what bind my friend, with no sort of knot to be found. I think he fused one end of the rope into the other when he was satisfied. "I'm going to perform a small fire spell, okay? Don't move." I concentrate, and perform the dual spells quickly. Well, as quickly as I can. I've performed multiple spells at once before, but never with such urgency or so speedily. The fire lights on the rope, undoing the strappings. I pull away at the rope with my hooves, and get Rarity to her hooves hastily. I suddenly have a terrible sinking feeling that we are in large amounts of danger and trouble. "Come on, Rarity. We need to go, quickly."

"Y-yes." She whispers, and tries to move forward. She trembles violently with every step. Even leaning on me, she's much too weak for this.

"I'm going to share my magic with you, so you can have some strength. I'll also try to heal your lesser wounds."

"Can you? Are you able to use magic?"

"Yes, but don't ask questions right now. We really need to just get out of here." I put my horn to hers, and feed some magic into her system. I feel, sort of through the grapevine, how empty of magic she is. I don't know how she came to be this way, but it speaks ill to me. "Are you better now?"

"Much. Now, let's hurry, like you said." Rarity makes another go at walking up the stairs, and succeeds much better this time. I still lean against her, for safety's sake. My instincts are screaming at me to run, run away right this moment, but doing so would be abandoning Rarity. A rumbling in the marble walls around us warns me that I was right to be afraid, right to want to run. I hear a hissing behind us, down where I found Rarity. I turn, slightly, to see the head of a basilisk, or some other lizard-esque monster, emerging from the now dark room.

I scream and pull Rarity along, trying to run. The snake-like face begins to follow us, chasing after my scream. The corridor is too small for it, so it's speed is hindered, but it approaches us with swiftness. We're almost to the door when it's head lunges forward. I push Rarity ahead, and turn to face it, to flash bright lights in its eyes, but the jaws snap around me and several feet of marble. My legs and sides are cut as the stone is ground into me inside the small space. It's hot and sticky in here, not to mention tight. For a moment everything is uncomfortable. Then space is made when it begins to swallow, and chunks of marble begin to fall down the monster's gullet. I scream, when I begin to slide forward, and I fear that I'll disappear into that strange darkness too.

My leg is trapped in two stones already lodged in it's throat, and as I pull, I realize that I'm pretty much stuck. There is no way out of this situation. I still roll and pull and struggle, but it's no surprise to me when it does nothing, and I continue down the path to its stomach. I squeal in frustration. I can't be here! I need to be out, saving my friends and Equestria! I am the spirit of the element of magic, not this lizard monger's lunch! Dammit all, I let myself think. I slide forward again, so that I'm nearly suffocated by the fleshy tube of the esophagus. I'm prepared to think my final curse on this animal, when it thrashes and then goes still. I bang my head on the roof of its mouth and the marble still surrounding me.

A muffled voice reaches my ringing ears. What's it saying? "Twilight, Twilight!" Oh, it's Rarity. I can hear her through the face of the lizard. "Twilight, are you alright in there? Please be alive!" Rarity is saying.

"Rarity! I'm alive, but I'm stuck! My leg is wedged in some stone, I'm stuck really badly!" I yell. "Can you hear me?"

"I can hear you, darling. How do we get you out before it wakes up? I.. I knocked it unconscious, I think."

"I can try to levitate the stones away, but they're wedged in its throat. I don't know if I can."

"I'll try to open its mouth, then. I'll get something to work it open with." I hear hoovesteps receding into the distance. I focus on the chunks of marble. They're squeezing my leg pretty badly. I tentatively push at the rock with my telekinesis, and am rewarded with pain. The stones scrape my ankle bone harshly, and I might break my leg if I continue. I groan in frustration. I sit here, feeling awful and gross, for a moment before the monster begins to wake up, and then I start to scream again.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

I continue screaming while I feel the head pick up off the ground. The throat makes strange undulating movements. I see light as it opens it's mouth really wide. I dangle, my hoof still stuck in the marble bits. Wait a moment. I think it's choking. It's choking and it's trying to spit me out! I ignore the pain in my hoof and pull on the trapped leg. I groan, unintentionally, as I slowly slide my leg from the tightly wedged portions of rock. With a popping motion, I and the rocks escape the lizard monster's maw and fall to the floor. I land painfully.

"Twilight!" I hear Rarity in the distance. In a daze I try to stand. My leg hurts a lot. I may have a bruised bone and deep muscle damage, but I don't think it's broken. "Twilight, move!" I look up to see the lizard, which I now properly identify as a less lethal form of a basilisk, lunge down towards me again. I myself jump as far as I can, narrowly avoiding a return to the wet and dark caverns. Instead, the basilisk plunges it's face into grass and dirt, likely hurting it's nose.

I crash, however, on my hooves, one of which is severely injured. I fall right back over, and though I scramble to move away from the basilisk, I don't really make much ground. Rarity soon reaches my side, and we together start to run away. The basilisk hisses, and I heart it slide after us. I think urgently, trying to remember something I could use against it. This is a lesser species, one that does not turn ponies to stone. It is however still very violent and carnivorous. It will attack anypony that comes near it, or that it gets near to.

If it were to wander near Ponyville, even if we could escape ourselves, this basilisk would not hesitate to eat anypony there. Which means we have to stop it.

"Rarity, we have to stop it." I say to her while we run.

"How do you propose we do that?" She squeals.

"We… we have to kill it." Rarity trips. I fall with her, and we tumble into some bracken and the basilisk slithers past, not noticing us. It begins to sniff around, but I see that there is dirt and grass stuck in its nostrils, effectively hiding us.

"Excuse me? I have never… killed anything! Not even flies or mosquitos!" She says, squirming in the plant life.

"I know, me either, but this basilisk will not hesitate to kill, and eat, anypony it sees. It's a rarer breed, one thought to be extinct, and for good reasons. They can't be tamed, Rarity. They eat, and slither, and eat again. They never stop growing, and never stop eating. If we don't stop it, everypony in Ponyville is dead. Without any doubts, they will be dead." I say, trying not to imagine the awful possibility. "And, what's worse, is that this probably won't be the only monster we have to kill for other ponies' sakes. We have to save Equestria, at all costs."

"I suppose… you're right. I don't like it, but… we must." Rarity says, tears in her eyes. "How do we go about this?" There is a quiet seriousness in her voice now.

"There are all numbers of plants around here, some of which I believe are toxic to the basilisk. They'd be purple flowers, with light green stems and leaves. Pointy-ish leaves, with a single point. Do you see any?" I look around, trying to find some. "If we find any, we can blind it, or poison it, and go from there."

"Like, those?" Rarity points back towards the castle, where a patch of the exact plant is growing. I frown. Is he trying to help us? I thought he said this 'game' of his was all determined by what we do; if he helps us, how do we play this game?

"Exactly like those. How do we get them? We just got away from the basilisk, now we have to turn around and go back where it'll see us."

"If you can give me some wings, Twilight, I'll bet you I can zoom in, really quickly and get a whole bunch. I have the most experience flying, after all."

"I'm not sure that I have enough magic for that. I'll, I'll try though. Be ready to fly, or run, because there'll be a flash; there isn't anything I can do about it." I say, and begin to concentrate my magic again. Even with the large amount of magic Luna gave me, which is slowly becoming my own magic, I have so little with which to perform this difficult spell. The only reason I accomplished it earlier with such ease was that Day's End had removed the curse from me temporarily. I struggle, now, but I feel the spell coming together. A moment more….. Flash! With a single, final, bright second, the spell is completed, and Rarity is outfitted with a pair of white wings. "Go, Rarity!" I yell, because I hear the basilisk coming our way. I run, in the direction of the basilisk, to try to distract it while Rarity nabs the plant. My hoof hurts, but I ignore it. Something more important is at stake here. The basilisk sees me immediately, but focuses more readily on the faster moving of us, and goes after her. I painfully levitate-throw things from around me at it. My magic is much too low, but I need to distract it long enough for Rarity to do what she needs to. Dizzily, I shout at the basilisk.

"Hey, you! Stupid _snake_! Finish what you started, will you!" It turns around at the sound of my voice, although I doubt it understands my words. It slithers toward me, jaws parting. I back off, but it continues, slowly. Maybe if I only slowly retreat, it will follow in the same manner. I step back again, fluidly, onto my good hoof. The basilisk stares at me, inching forward in the same way. I smile, inwardly, and take another step. I wasn't expecting the pain to shoot up my leg like it did, and as a result I fell backwards, spurring the basilisk to lunge at me. Luckily, or perhaps unluckily, I feel backward down a slight hill. I tumble and hurt myself more, but the basilisk misses, and I remain uneaten.

I try to get to my hooves again, but I'm caught in the bracken. The basilisk shakes its head clear of the dirt in its eyes, and once it catches sight of me, descends on me hurriedly. I don't scream this time, I just close my eyes and turn away.

"Oh no you do not!" I hear, and a thud, and a scream from the basilisk. I open my eyes and see Rarity on the basilisk's face, or fluttering near it, just hitting it with the plant, repeatedly. I start to struggle in the bracken again, now that I can see hope again. Another scream from the basilisk, I see it's eyes swelling shut, and bleeding. I tear free of my planty constraints, and get out of the way of the thrashing snake body.

"Rarity, stick it in its nose! It'll breathe in the pollen and it'll poison the bloodstream!" I yell at her, thinking of some way to help her.

"Right!" She yells, sort of. She sort of shrieks it at me, as she dodges the erratic biting of the basilisk. I don't have enough magic to be able to actually do anything, but perhaps I can distract it again. I whistle harshly at it. It turns its attention my way, blindly following the short sharp sound. It is mostly still long enough for Rarity to dive bomb its face again, and to violently and roughly insert the plant into the dirty and grassy nostrils. I hear her make a sound in disgust, but its new thrashing stops her from focusing on her hoof.

"Run!" I call to her as I start to run away. It's really pissed now. With bleeding eyes and with haggard breath, it follows us, as we retreat. I only hope it'll kill it quickly. I know it's trying to kill us, but no creature really deserves pain like this. We're half way to Ponyville when I notice it's slowed down considerable, it's coils no longer carrying it with soft or swift rolls. I skid to a stop. It falls, still trying to move forward.

I feel so awful. Its breathing is strained, sounding painful even. There's a soft rumble in its throat, like a moan. I feel tears run down my face. We did this. We put it through this pain. I hear Rarity's sobs too.

"Nooooooohhh…. Doo nooht be sssaaaaahd." A hissing voice comes from the basilisk. We jump back. "You hhaffe ffreeeeeehd meee. Dhay's End did thihsssss. We were sssentient, onccce. Hhe took our thhoughhtssss…. Made usss hanimalsssss. Killed many offf usss to ressssurect lahter…. I thaahnk you fffor thissss….." The large head says, tired and hurt. "I only assssk thaht you ssstay with me… I wissh not to die alone."

"If you wish.." I say, sadder. I slowly walk over to him, for I am sure it is male from the voice, and sit down by his large eye. Feeling awkward, I lean against his cold skin, my face buried in the leathery hide.

"I beg your fforgiffnesssss.." He wheezes.

"Know that I know, I could never not accept. Is there anything we can do?" I say, my tears staining his scales.

"Nothing…." His bloody eyes close as he exhales the last word. I stay there for a while, still hearing his heart beat. When he stills, I pull away, slowly. I step back, still shocked at what we've done.

"We killed him… we're… killers." I say, sort of numb.

"I.. I suppose we are. I don't want to be rude, especially with the awful circumstance, but… shouldn't we hurry? Our friends… they need us. If this basilisk was so understanding, I think he would understand if we rushed off." Rarity says, eyes averted.

"I… I sadly agree. I am sorry, you poor creature you." I pat the nose of the basilisk, whose name is unknown to me. "Let's go, then." I turn and hobble away from the… the body.

"Let me carry you, Twilight, you're hurt and tired, but you made these wings strong enough for me to carry you to the tree." Rarity says, picking me up without waiting for an answer. Tiredly, I silently accept her offer. She must be exhausted as well. "I also think we should tell Ponyville about what happened. Or at least how to use magic. I know you know how to again."

"Right. I'll write a letter and give it to the mayor before we leave. I have healing crystals at home, stored with magic and ready for use. All we need is to heal ourselves and head out with the bags I packed." I think aloud, my brain once more occupied by necessity.

"Will we have time to clean up a bit? I'm not used to being covered in dirt and blood…."

"A little, Rarity. Only a little. Equestria needs us." Regret. "Celestia and Luna are gone, Rarity. We, the Elements of Harmony, are the only hope for Equestria."

"Gone?! As in… dead? Oh the horror! Must we lose everything in so short a time?" Rarity wails, none of it faked.

"No, not dead, but as far away as dead. Their little brother trapped them in the sun and the moon, respectively. I tried to save them…. But I'm too weak."

"Well… I'd say you're a lot stronger than you were a few days ago. We did escape a basilisk, and you saved one of us already. Now we must save the others… but where to go?" Rarity sets me down in front of the tree.

"Day's End supplied us with one map, and our friends' locations circled on them. They're all located at ruins, or so it appears. Rainbow Dash is farthest away, somewhere far to the north, but in a desert; she's all the way in Saddle Arabia."

"I suspect you've already decided who to find first?"

"I went for you because you were the closest, but I otherwise would have gone for Fluttershy. She… I don't know how strong she is, not in a case like this. And now that I've saved you, whatever he's done to her so far is going to get worse. Day's End..."

"We'll save them, Twilight. We're stronger together than we are apart. We need only unite, I am sure. Now let's fix your hoof and write that letter." Rarity smiles, hopefully, and walks inside. I follow her, riding the wakes of her hopefulness.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Rarity leads me in, but steps aside so I can show her where our items of import are located.

"The healing crystals are upstairs, if you'd grab them…" I wince, stepping on my bruised hoof again. "If you'd grab them, I'll tell you what happened when you were taken away." Rarity nods, and flies up to where she knows I store them. "When you were taken, princess Celestia came back with Luna, and shortly after engaged Day's End in an alicorn duel. Princess Celestia lost because I interfered. Then Luna and she were taken away, after talking to me about what I need to do." Rarity flies down, several crystals in her hooves. " Then Day's End told me the rules of his game he thinks we're playing. I have to save you five, and with each friend I save, the torture gets worse for the ones left to be saved. I believe that what you experienced was bad enough." I rub the crystals together, and first attempt to heal my bruised hoof. I've never done this before, I want to make sure it works. "So you can imagine that I'm worried about Fluttershy, and why I wanted to save her first. But now, with two ponies to her rescue, I think we'll do much better than when it was just me, or if I had gone for her first." I wince again as my leg heals, a little painfully. "Good, they work. Now let's finish healing you, and I'll see how energized they are after that." I put the crystals to Rarity's various cuts, which I could only half heal earlier and which broke open again once action started picking up. "After I heal you, I'll write that letter, and you can use my bathroom to clean up."

"Yes, Twilight." Rarity says quietly.

"Are you okay? I know this will be different, but we have to do it." I notice her eyes are caught on the mirror in my doorway, her reflection staring back at her.

"No, it's just that…I… I've lost my confidence. I know looks aren't _really_ important, but my mane, my tail, even these black lines on my face, Day's End said they would stay there permanently… they're ruined. I don't know if I can face anypony like this. I realize it's silly… But my looks are my security blanket, and Day's End took that away."

"I understand, I think. You know, you guys are my security blanket, and he took that away too. We're going to save our friends, and when this is all over, things will go back to the way they were, and you know, you're beautiful anyway. Your mane and tail have nothing to do with it, you are a beautiful mare and you shouldn't worry."

"But I look like a punk! How am I beautiful when I look like I went through a sewing machine!"

"Short and choppy is in right now. Would you like to cut my hair to match? My mane and tail, they kind of got ruined by the basilisk and the bracken and all that. You could give me a new mane-do."

"Oh Twilight, I appreciate that, but I could never do that to you. I will however, help brush it make to normal. I do feel better now, physically and mentally. I'll go clean up a little, and we can leave when we're done here in Ponyville." Rarity pulls away, having been healed. I nod and let her go upstairs. I turn to my quill and ink, and begin to write a quick, but explanatory, letter to the Mayor with instructions of what to do. Thinking about it now, there'll be chaos without somepony running the country. The mayors of Equestria can unite and keep some semblance of order. Wait… chaos… order. What am I forgetting? Oh my Celestia, Discord! I don't know where he is, or what he's doing. If he knows what's happening, I'd bet he's going after Fluttershy. If he doesn't he's probably being persecuted, or perhaps he's just running around being crazy and chaotic. If I could find him, he would be a powerful ally, especially since he's nearly a god himself and has ties to our group.

I face hoof for a moment. I sound like a general, planning a war. I suppose this could last a long time, and I don't know how it'll affect Equestria, or even the rest of the world. Our ally across the sea, or Saddle Arabia… I don't know how they play into this. Day's End seems to have plans, but how far do they stretch? I shake my head and continue with my suggestions for Ponyville. I'm nearly done by the time Rarity comes downstairs, her mane and tail much more orderly than they were before. Her eye-lids look red, like she's been trying to rub away the black mark there, but otherwise she looks good. I know she wouldn't believe me, but she actually does look really nice with such a short and spikey style. It's different, and I think it fits the wilder side of her.

"Are we ready? Where are we heading?" She asks.

"Just about. Let me sign this, and we'll run down to the town square. I just hope we don't have to stay and explain too long. I mean, I want to help here too, but…. The sooner we get our friends, the better. I also need to show you how to use magic again." I say. I sign the letter, formally, and tie it up. I turn around, and see Rarity looking at the map.

"Fluttershy is here, and Pinkie Pie here? Is that the order we're going in?"

"Actually, yes. You agree this is the way we should go?"

"Yes. I have stronger belief in Dash and Applejack's abilities to cope than Pinkie's. She is just so hard to read sometimes. I think that this _is_ the best way to go." Rarity nods.

"Alright, then let's go deliver this letter." I head towards the door. Rarity follows.

"Should we give you wings now? It would be easier to fly there."

"I'm too weak right now. I drained myself, completely dry, fighting back there. Your wings took the last of my energy."

"Oh… I'm sorry. You know, I've gotten quite used to them. Do you.. do you think I could keep them when this is all over?"

"I wouldn't mind. You'd be like Cadence then, a unicorn with wings. These are much sturdier than the butterfly ones I made you, so there's no fear of you crashing because you burnt them out again." I think, but I can't see a reason why Rarity couldn't keep them. I wonder where Cadence is now actually. I haven't spoken to her in months, and communication to the Crystal Kingdom has been impossible.

"I think I'd like that." Rarity says. "Can you gallop? I'm feeling so anxious to go." Rarity says suddenly.

"Sure, sure." I break out into a gallop, which seems much more logical than walking anyway. My hoof doesn't hurt in the slightest anymore. I think I did a pretty good job for my first healing. We're there in nearly no time at all. I bang on the door to the Mayor's office.

"Yes?" Comes her voice from inside. "I still don't know why we've no word from Canterlot about the strange sun and moon times, and I still haven't seen Twilight or the others-" She stops when she sees us. "Twilight! Rarity! Where have you been the past four days!?"

"I'm sorry, mayor, we can't explain it all right now. Equestria… is under a lot stress right now. I've explained it all in this letter. We have to go, we've got a lot to do, but I know you here in Ponyville can manage. Good luck, mayor." I say, and gallop away. I didn't mean to be so… mysterious, but that's the way it came out. I only hope that she can handle the task ahead of her, that all of Equestria can handle what might be ahead of it.

"Now we need to head out. How are we going to do this Twilight? Just fly and run around everywhere?" Rarity asks.

"Yeah. I have a bad feeling all the steam or electric things we have still won't work. It would be too easy."

"Right." Rarity says with a sigh. "When will your magic be strong enough to produce wings?"

"A few hours at the soonest, but I drained myself completely, Rarity, I don't think I've ever done that before. It may be a whole day at the most. The only thing I can think of doing to hurry that up is draining the magic from the rest of my healing crystals, which can be recharged later, or you sharing magic with me, which I doubt you have enough of to do that with. Especially considering your wings will only work if you have enough unicorn magic, seeing as you don't have any natural pegasus magic to help you lift off the ground." I say, almost annoyed. "I think you are right, though. We'll move faster if I have wings. I'll see how much magic I have left in my healing crystals, and if it will be enough, I'll drain them."

"Okay, good. But explain what you mean by magic and flying."

"A pegasus' magic is like their blood, it flows around through them supplying power. The magic of a pegasus mostly flows in their wings, but also in their hooves, and without enough magic in their wings, they can't fly. Their magic is resilient, and they usually can't drain their magic without wearing their muscles out too. I don't know how well your wings will work if you use all your unicorn magic on spells. I suppose it's a quicker way to expand your magic." I pause for breath, and then continue. "You do know about how to expand your magic?"

"Well, I've never had to. My supply has always been enough.."

"It may not anymore. Well, the basics are: take in another unicorn's magic along with your own to expand the amount your body can hold or to completely or mostly drain your supply, and when it 'refills' it will usually oversupply a little, kind of like how your muscles become more long-lasting each time you use them. The more you use your magic, the more magic you gain. So, when my magic recharges, I should have slightly more at my disposal."

"That sounds simple enough. Well, then." Rarity flies ahead, opens the door, and holds it for me. "The last thing now is for you to tell me how to use magic with Luna's curse in place. You can, now, after all, and like you said, I'll need it." I trot in, tired.

"Right, well, if you feel the spell with your magic, slightly, it feels like a pressure all around you clogging your ability to interfere with the world around you. In the pegasi's case, it's clogging their internal systems. Anyway, if you go to cast a spell directly into the world, the curse will mess with your magic. What you need to do is cast a second, or first spell really, as a wall against the curse. It can be difficult, but it's worked so far. It's going to be second nature eventually, I'm sure."

"Right.. Let me try by levitating the rest of your crystals down here." Rarity concentrates for a moment, a double wave of magic around her horn, her face gritting in attentiveness. I look towards my bedroom, and see the dozen or so differently shaped stones softly float our way. They make it halfway down the stairs before they crash to the stairs, some of them tumbling a few steps. "Was that really the only magic I had left? Most of it was yours too…"

"The second spell really takes it out of you, and most of the magic I gave you I ended up using to create a system of magic flow for your wings. But at least we know it works now."

"Indeed." Rarity walks over, picking up the crystals in her hoof. "Do these have enough in them for you to perform the wing spell?"

"I…." I pause, reaching out with the tidbit of magic I have regenerated, taking hold of the crystals. "Yes, they should be just enough to make the wings, power the guard spell, and create a magi-vascular system for them. I don't know if I'll actually be able to fly right away though."

"I don't think I can now, either." Rarity pumps her wings, but succeeds in nothing. "I can't fly with my magic gone now. We'll have to gallop for a while."

"Right. Well, I'll perform the spell, and then we can head out. Why don't you see if we have everything we need in our packs while I do this? I don't want to rush this." I quickly drain my crystals, feeling full again, of magic anyway, and go about preparing the spells in my mind. I use my mental flow charts and graphs to help me plan this, but I know these spells already, and the biggest part of this is executing the spells themselves. I take a quick breathe for calmness' sake, and go to do the spells. I first build the wall of magic to hold back Luna's intense spell of crushing disabling magic. With that ready to be used, I think of the structure of wings, complicated and finite. In addition, I rearrange the magic flow of my body to also stream into my soon-to-be-built wings. When all is ready, I finish of the spells and power them, sending the ideas, the plans, the systems into reality.

Through my closed eyes, I feel the flash of light, and then become aware of two new limbs placed on my shoulders. I stretch them, and feel that all is well. I give an experimental flap, but feel too heavy to lift myself. I'm drained again, and my wings are too frail and inexperienced to fly with what little magic I have left over. Maybe in a few months of intense training, they'd be strong enough and efficient enough to use that little bit to fly, but for now, it is not so. I could probably use that little bit to lessen my weight for a second with a single flap, but it would be a waste. I _can_ use this little bit to levitate my bags onto my back, and to power myself for the next few hours as we run, non-stop.

"Everything looks to be in order, Twilight. I wish I could pack more… accessories, but I understand the gravity of the situation enough to know it would only weigh us down. Are we ready?"

"Indeed. Are you prepared to gallop for a few hours, Rarity? That's how long this is going to take for our magic to come back."

"….. Yes." Rarity sighs, but nods confidently.

"Then let's go save Fluttershy." I levitate the bags onto our backs, securing them quickly, and I race out the door.

We _are_ coming, Fluttershy. Through hell and high water, we are coming.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

I was real snooty, saying that line about a few hours of running, thinking to myself about how Rarity would never last longer than me. Here I am, wheezing, begging to stop because _gods_ do my legs ache so. I used my magic long ago to refresh my energy and my sore legs, and haven't dared to use what came back after, because I need it for flying. I was so condescending, like I really thought I would do better than Rarity. Maybe it's a facet of hers, her generosity to an extreme.

"Really, Twilight, you haven't slept since the night before Day's End made his move; we can stop for, well, the night." She insists. I want to keep going, even though it will likely kill me. It's true, I haven't slept since then, but… I feel so lame, so weak for not continuing. I notice her pause about the time. I can't tell either, because it's been this same dusk/dawn sort of time for hours. I wish I'd asked about the changes, but I didn't think they were so obvious or so… quick. Day's End really is acting quickly. And I suppose extending his time, the time between the sun and the moon, is a pretty obvious power display. It was day when I rescued Rarity, but I hadn't noticed the speed with which the sun traversed the sky overhead. If I'm right, the days and nights are short and the times between the two have been extended ridiculously. It's the reverse of what it had been before, I guess. If I'm right, that is. "You said yourself, this may take a long time. We have to believe in our friends and their strengths, and we have to take care of ourselves as well. We're no good to anypony if we're weak as newborn fillies."

"I know, I know, but I was so condescending to you earlier!" I blurt out. "I never thought you would out-last me!"

"To be honest, neither did I. But I really mean it about resting. We should."

"Oh gods, if you really insist." I plop down, right there on the grass. I continue to wheeze and huff and puff like an overused steam engine.

"I think all that magic you performed pulled a number on you, Twilight. I wish I would be able to contribute more, so that you didn't need to suffer like this."

"Please, Rarity, you did everything you could. I wish I was able to continue. But you are right, and we need to rest. We need to keep each other safe and healthy and probably sane. So, speaking of safe, we need to rest, both of us, but.. but shifts.. We should probably sleep in shifts."

"I agree. You sleep first. I usually have a good judge of time. How long should I let you sleep?" She asks, unwilling to talk about it. She's made up her mind, I guess. I'll go with it; there's no need to argue.

"If you really want first shift, let me go three hours. I've survived on less." I say, confident in my ability to keep going after only three hours.

"Alright, darling, just close your eyes and rest." Rarity pats me on the shoulder, and I believe in her, I trust her so completely, that I easily turn over and punch the clock into the land of dreams and rest.

My dreams shock me.

"_Twilight? Can you hear me?" Who is that? Who's calling me? _

"_Hello? What's happening? Where am I?"_

"_Twilight, thank goodness! We've been trying to contact you for hours, trying to force you to sleep so we could speak." I recognize my teacher, princess, and second mother figure easily. I realize the first voice was Luna, and that I am speaking with the princesses, even if I can't see them._

"_Celestia! Luna! What's going on here? How?"_

"_Listen, little one, you must listen. We will be here for you and your friends when you sleep; dreams will be our meeting ground." Luna's voice tells me softly._

"_Twilight, when you save each of your friends, we will be able to link them to you in your sleep, that as a group we will speak. Sadly, this will not be often. This is still your task to complete, and we have no true right to interfere. But we will be here, supporting you." Celestia says, equally soft._

"_Oh, princesses! I'm so sorry, I let you down, and now we're in such a mess."_

"_It was not your actions that brought us here, Twilight Sparkle. It is sister and I's fault. Twas we who had faulted. I think you will wish to hear it from Celestia, though. It is not a happy story, Twilight, not at all."_

"_Celestia? What does she mean?"_

"_Long ago, our parents left us to care for you mortal ponies, the three of us, known then as Celestia, Lunisa, and Dantera. We did as our mother and father did before us, keeping order in the world. Eventually, Dantera desired more time, more recognition. Fearing we may upset the balance of the world, and, I admit, fearing change itself, we agreed against him. When he challenged us, and lost, we asked him to step down for a while, to regain his sense of the world. He… he took is so poorly. He left, as honor demanded he do, but as it can be seen, he planned a horrible fate for us, and possibly for Equestria. He caused Discord's insanity, brought Luna to her knees before the Alicorn of Lies, Nightmare Moon, and many other minor hitches in the balance of the world, including King Sombra's madness and rise to power. Now.. he has taken us away from the world we love, and is punishing you for being my loved ones. You most of all Twilight." Celestia's voice drops away. I imagine her turning away momentarily._

"_He was not lying when he said you are Celestia's favorite, Twilight. I personally believe you are the child of her spirit, because you are so very much like her. I can only imagine her pain, having never felt so strong a bond with a mortal pony. But I do believe in her faith in you, little pony. You saved me from myself, not a small task at all. That is why I believe in you, and that you have every chance of rising to the level of an alicorn, of succeeding us as the protectors of this world."_

"_Twilight, you are strong, and I am sad to say I must ask you to be stronger. You have already gone about this, as I have been making you stronger your whole life, but the strength you have now is nowhere near enough to save Equestria."_

"_What exactly must I do to save Equestria?"_

"_You must find a way to defeat Dantera with your friendship. You must play his game, and win. He thinks your friendship is just that, a relationship with no real magic. He does recognize that you are stronger together, but regardless of any of that, he is stronger than Luna and I combined. Your bonds must be incredibly strong to defeat him. I cannot say what that will entail." Celestia's voice flows over me, sadly._

"_Dantera is strong and smart, he will play with your heart in any way he can. He knows the way bonds can be used against you. He will attempt to make you betray your friends, and they, you. He will try to kill you, but he will give you the tools to live, even if they are hidden. He wants you to challenge him, Twilight, and he wants to see the way you look when you fail. He will make you strong, but he will beat you down to show you how pointless it is. It will hurt you, and therefore us, the most that way." Luna takes over. "Sadly, our time in this dream is ending. My powers will only stretch so far; I can only keep you here so long. I will attempt to bring Generosity here, after you. We will speak… later. For now, I wish you luck, little one."_

"_Twilight… I fear we will not speak for a long time. I await the time when we do again." Celestia says, saying goodbye without really saying it._

"_Princess…. I won't fail you, not this time." I promise, saying goodbye without really saying it._

"_Fare thee well." I hear them say, before I wake up._

I slowly blink awake, as if I'd slept normally. Truthfully, it was a restful sleep, and quick stock of my magic shows it bounced back quickly, not quite to full power, but much better than it had been previously.

"Twilight, I was just about to wake you. It's been three hours, I think, just like you said."

"Thank you, Rarity. It's your turn then." I say shortly. "Tell me if you have any dreams, will you?" I ask, in a way preparing her for her visit with Celestia and Luna. I get up, stretching my legs, and move out of the way.

"Yes, Twilight, I'll make sure to do that." Rarity says, almost warily. She curls up against the place that I was, resting her back against the tree. She closes her eyes, but she doesn't seem to be asleep for a long while.

I look up, away. It's finally night time, but the moon's movement is much more than it should be. And not far beyond the horizon is the glow of day time, a pink hue forever on the edge of the earth. How are the plants and animals going to survive? How are we going to survive as a country? As individuals? I have no clue, except for using magic to change the way plants work, as a start. If we could make them more efficient with less sunlight, or perhaps begin growing them under moonlight, we might be able to keep up a sufficient supply. The animals, well, to think of it, I'm sure animals will actually adapt more readily than the sentient hooved beings of Equestria. As of yet, I can't think of a way to fix pegasi magic, to restore their flight, and I don't know how to give an earth pony or unicorn the ability to shape clouds or make them, only how to walk on them. Weather will remain an issue until we can figure this out.

I think this, like my thoughts will help anypony. If my friends weren't in danger, I'd have quickly assumed the task of figuring these things out. We all would have. But alas, the situation has demanded differently of me. I sigh. I gave the mayor as much instruction as I could on such short notice, and I can only hope she knows how to handle the rest.

I look at Rarity, who seems to be asleep for real now. How did she keep herself occupied the whole time? I look around, and find piles of pine needles and leaves and grass woven into baskets and blankets and statues. The artistry is amazing. I would attempt my own, but I don't have the artistic skills needed. I could calculate the number of needles, the sizes, the time needed, the stability of the finished project, but build it myself? Never, not now, and not in a past life could I ever have been able to. That just isn't me. Although, playing with the needles doesn't seem like a bad idea. Maybe I can't make art, but I could make other things, like graphs or blue-prints or towers maybe. I shuffle some stray needles over to where I'm sitting.

And then it begins.

Hours later, about three if my internal clock is right, I sit amongst little graphs and maps and figures, and math. Math, math, math, math, lots of math done for the sake of doing math. I showed my work, I left it out for all of nature to see, every number, equation, letter, minus sign and division is on display. Trigonometry, algebra, calculus, examples of each is present. At some point I even started organizing the needles by color, letting my need for order amuse me. Across the forest floor there are piles of brown, orange, mixed, light green, dark green, black, and I even found a couple purple ones, likely rare mutant needles from trees with too much magic inside them. I made confetti out of leaves, and pretended to be Pinkie Pie, although much quieter. I then scolded Pinkie (myself) for making a mess and organized the leaf tidbits into a color code as well. It is only when I finally run out of ideas that Rarity stirs.

"Oh.. Twilight, why did you not tell me I would meet the princesses…" She murmurs as she awakens. I scramble to hide my fun, but can't bring myself to ruin the order. "What… what did you do all night?" She looks at my math, bewildered.

"Math. Lots of it." I say, not hiding it.

"What… whatever for?"

"The sake… of math." I say dramatically, and giggle.

"Alright, then, Twilight. We should, you know, get going." She looks at me like I'm crazy.

"What? You made art stuff, why is it so big a deal that I did math stuff?" I ask.

"No, it's just… you find that _amusing?_" She stands, stretching, her eyes still in disbelief. "I don't understand it, is all."

"It kept me busy and alert.." I mumble. My love of math has always been an issue; most ponies don't understand it.

"I'll say it's not my cup of tea, Twilight, but if it makes you happy, who am I to judge? I'm sorry I came across as snooty, it just caught me by surprise. But we really should get going.. we should probably eat."

"I agree. I have apples. It's not a proper meal, so to speak, but they're some of Applejack's best." I pull them out of my bag, gently. I tried to cushion them between clothes so they wouldn't bruise, and it would be a shame to bruise them now. Rarity takes one and bites into it. I do the same, and get taken aback. The taste is sweet and soft, and it strongly reminds me of Applejack herself. It's been four, almost five days that we've been apart, and I missed the first four. I feel so alone, without my friends. I always knew that we belonged together, but I never thought that being so far away from them would hurt this badly. "I'll get the map." I say with an emptiness in my voice.

As Rarity eats, I look at the map, and decide which direction is best. We have days of travel ahead of us, and it would be the worst thing if we added more days to that problem by getting lost. I finish my apple in silence, sadness, and planning.


End file.
